Implementation of Character Education through Children's Language Development in Elementary Schools

Character education implementation through language development is essential in primary education. However, the application of character education in reality has not been optimal. This study aimed to explore the implementation of character education through language development in primary schools. This research used a qualitative approach, and data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The population of this study consisted of 522 students and 16 teachers in 15 classes at Silih Asah II State Elementary School in Cirebon City, Indonesia. The research sample was sampled from class 2A, consisting of 40 students, and 10 students' parents also gave feedback regarding this learning. The teacher sample consisted of 5 male and 5 female teachers, including the principal. The results showed that the implementation of character education through language development can be accomplished by combining language development activities with character learning activities such as storytelling, singing, and group games that involve all students. In addition, the results showed that through language development, children can learn communication and social skills that help them build good character. Therefore, this study concluded that language development can be an effective medium for implementing character education in primary schools.

Histopathological changes and antioxidant responses in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to copper nanoparticles

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this recordDespite the rapid increase of nanotechnology in a wide array of industrial sectors, the biosafety profile of nanomaterials remains undefined. The accelerated use of nanomaterials has increased the potential discharge of nanomaterials into the environment in different ways. The aquatic environment is mainly susceptible as it is likely to act as an ultimate sink for all contaminants. Therefore, this study assessed the toxicological impacts of waterborne engineered copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) on histology, lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) levels in the gills of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Nanoparticles were characterized by XRD and SEM techniques. Before starting the sub-acute toxicity testing, 96 h LC50 of Cu-NPs for C. carpio was calculated as 4.44 mg/l. Then based on LC50, C. carpio of 40–45 g in weight were exposed to three sub-lethal doses of waterborne engineered Cu-NPs (0 or 0.5 or 1 or 1.5 mg/l) for a period of 14 days. The waterborne Cu-NPs have appeared to induce alterations in gill histology and oxidative stress parameters in a dose-dependent manner. The gill tissues showed degenerative secondary lamellae, necrotic lamella, fused lamella, necrosis of the primary and secondary lamella, edema, complete degeneration, epithelial lifting, degenerative epithelium, and hyperplasia in a dose-dependent manner. In the gill tissues, waterborne Cu-NPs caused a decreased level of CAT and elevated levels of LPO, and GSH in the fish exposed to the highest dose of 1.5 mg Cu-NPs/l of water. Our results indicate that the exposure to waterborne Cu-NPs was toxic to the aquatic organisms as shown by the oxidative stresses and histological alterations in C. carpio, a freshwater fish of good economic value

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential of Two Endangered Plant Species Atropa belladonna and Matricaria chamomilla

Background: Plants are the natural source of antioxidants as well as antimicrobial compounds that has great potentials in pharmaceuticalindustry. In the present study, two medicinal plants Atropa belladonna and Matricaria chamomilla were collected from Northern areas ofPakistan.Materials and Methods: The extracts of the collected plants were obtained by microwave assisted extraction (MAE) with changing parameters, power level and time; methanol and ethanol were solvents used during  extraction. The extracts of plants were tested against different bacterialstrains.Results: It was observed that ethanolic extracts of Atropa belladonna has more significant antimicrobial activity against S.aureus than E.coli. Inparallel, methanolic extract of Matricaria chamomilla showed greater significant antibacterial activity against S.aureus when compared withE.coli. In comparison, ethanolic extracts of Matricaria chamomilla has shown more significant results against S. aureus than E.coli (p.0.05).Both plants had no antibacterial activity against S.typhi. The free radical scavenging activity observed by DPPH assay, indicate that both plantshave antioxidant activity at all levels of concentrations in solvent tested during the present work. However, methanolic extracts had greaterantioxidant activity when compared with ethanolic extracts.Conclusion: Present study is thus helpful in highlighting present potentials for antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in the selected plants.Key words: Antimicrobial, antioxidant, Atropa belladonna, Matricaria chamomill

The Effectiveness Of Traditional, Web-Based, And Blended Accounting Learning Methods

This study aims to determine the most effective accounting learning methods among face-to-face learning methods, web-based learning, and blended learning at universities throughout Indonesia, especially on the island of Java. The sample used in this study were 385 active students of accounting study programs throughout Indonesia who have learned accounting in both offline and online. Data collection method in this study used a survey method. The technique used to test the hypothesis is analysis of variance. The results of this study indicate that online accounting learning method has not been able to replace traditional face-to-face learning on campus. However, online learning that can continue to be developed and applied is blended online learning

Association between antipsychotics and weight gain among psychiatric outpatients in Pakistan: a retrospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has been known for a long time that use of antipsychotics, particularly atypical antipsychotics, is associated with weight gain and increase in risk of metabolic disturbances. In this study we have tried to find out if use of antipsychotics is associated with increase in weight and body mass index (BMI) in the Pakistani population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a case note review of all patients who had been prescribed antipsychotic medication at the psychiatry outpatient clinic of a tertiary care university hospital in Pakistan over a 4-year period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 50% of patients had a BMI in the overweight or higher range at baseline. Patients showed a mean weight gain of 1.88 kg from baseline in 3 months and 3.29 kg in 6 months. Both of these values were statistically significant. The increase in mean BMI from baseline was 0.74 and 1.3 in 3 months and 6 months, respectively. In patients for whom we had at least one further weight measurement after baseline, 48% (39/81) showed a clinically significant weight gain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Pakistani patients are just as likely to put on weight during antipsychotic treatment as patients from other countries. Considering that this population already has a much higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus compared to the Western countries, the consequences of increased weight may be even more serious in terms of increased morbidity and mortality.</p

Comparison of breast and bowel cancer screening uptake patterns in a common cohort of South Asian women in England

Background: Inequalities in uptake of cancer screening by ethnic minority populations are well documented in a number of international studies. However, most studies to date have explored screening uptake for a single cancer only. This paper compares breast and bowel cancer screening uptake for a cohort of South Asian women invited to undertake both, and similarly investigates these women's breast cancer screening behaviour over a period of fifteen years. Methods: Screening data for rounds 1, 2 and 5 (1989-2004) of the NHS breast cancer screening programme and for round 1 of the NHS bowel screening pilot (2000-2002) were obtained for women aged 50-69 resident in the English bowel screening pilot site, Coventry and Warwickshire, who had been invited to undertake breast and bowel cancer screening in the period 2000-2002. Breast and bowel cancer screening uptake levels were calculated and compared using the chi-squared test. Results: 72,566 women were invited to breast and bowel cancer screening after exclusions. Of these, 3,539 were South Asian and 69,027 non-Asian; 18,730 had been invited to mammography over the previous fifteen years (rounds 1 to 5). South Asian women were significantly less likely to undertake both breast and bowel cancer screening; 29.9% (n = 1,057) compared to 59.4% (n = 40,969) for non-Asians (p < 0.001). Women in both groups who consistently chose to undertake breast cancer screening in rounds 1, 2 and 5 were more likely to complete round 1 bowel cancer screening. However, the likelihood of completion of bowel cancer screening was still significantly lower for South Asians; 49.5% vs. 82.3% for non-Asians, p < 0.001. South Asian women who undertook breast cancer screening in only one round were no more likely to complete bowel cancer screening than those who decided against breast cancer screening in all three rounds. In contrast, similar women in the non-Asian population had an increased likelihood of completing the new bowel cancer screening test. The likelihood of continued uptake of mammography after undertaking screening in round 1 differed between South Asian religio-linguistic groups. Noticeably, women in the Muslim population were less likely to continue to participate in mammography than those in other South Asian groups. Conclusions: Culturally appropriate targeted interventions are required to reduce observed disparities in cancer screening uptakes

Quasinormal modes of massive charged flavor branes

We present an analysis and classification of vector and scalar fluctuations in a D3/D7 brane setup at finite termperature and baryon density. The system is dual to an N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with SU(N_c) gauge group and N_f hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation in the quenched approximation. We improve significantly over previous results on the quasinormal mode spectrum of D7 branes and stress their novel physical interpretation. Amongst our findings is a new purely imaginary scalar mode that becomes tachyonic at sufficiently low temperature and baryon density. We establish the existence of a critical density above which the scalar mode stays in the stable regime for all temperatures. In the vector sector we study the crossover from the hydrodynamic to the quasiparticle regime and find that it moves to shorter wavelengths for lower temperatures. At zero baryon density the quasinormal modes move toward distinct discrete attractor frequencies that depend on the momentum as we increase the temperature. At finite baryon density, however, the trajectories show a turning behavior such that for low temperature the quasinormal mode spectrum approaches the spectrum of the supersymmetric zero temperature normal modes. We interpret this as resolution of the singular quasinormal mode spectrum that appears at the limiting D7 brane embedding at vanishing baryon density.Comment: 56 pages, 40 figure

COVID-19 and Mental Health of Primary Healthcare Workers (PHCWS): lessons from a large-scale inquiry in Sindh and Punjab Provinces of Pakistan.

Research and Policy brief: Hameed W, Avan BI, Khan B, Fatmi Z, Feroz AS, Jafri SH, Wassan MA, Siddiqi S. COVID-19 and Mental Health of Primary Healthcare Workers (PHCWS): lessons from a large-scale inquiry in Sindh and Punjab Provinces of Pakistan. 2022, Aga Khan University

COVID-19 and Mental Health of Secondary-Level and Tertiary-Level Healthcare Workers: lessons from a large-scale inquiry in Sindh and Punjab Provinces of Pakistan.

Research and Policy brief: Hameed W, Avan BI, Khan B, Fatmi Z, Feroz AS, Jafri SH, Wassan MA, Siddiqi S. COVID19 and Mental Health of Secondary-Level and Tertiary-Level Healthcare Workers: lessons from a large-scale inquiry in Sindh and Punjab Provinces of Pakistan. 2022, Aga Khan University